Graecus Hollywood Arts
by SkylarNelson
Summary: When sixteen-year old Percy Jackson moves from Nashville, Tennessee to an Arts school in Los Angeles,California, things go really crazy for him. Rated T for slightly colorful language. Slight Peo. LOTS AND LOTS OF PERCABETH!
1. I Move to the City

**I do not own PJO. All rights go to the GENIUS, Rick Riordan**.

Chapter 1:

I Move to the City

**Percy**

The worst day of my life started when I dreamed my family members were trying to kill each other.

Let me explain: my father is a part of a group of the richest people in the world. They're called the Olympians, because—for some ironic reason—they're all named after the Greek Olympians. My dad, Poseidon, owns the largest cruise ship in the world, and is the richest seaman on earth. I once asked him why he chose to work with the sea. His answer was, "Because the sea and I are very much alike. Neither of us likes to be contained."

His brother, Zeus, owns the largest air travel agency on the planet. Zeus's answer for why he chose air travel was: "I love flying. It makes me feel like I'm looking down on the world."

Because my dad and uncle have such different points of view, they're constantly at odds; constantly fighting each other. It once got so bad that my uncle forbid me from traveling in one of his planes. He said that he would have me arrested if I tried.

Anyways, I was dreaming that my dad and uncle were trying to kill each other. Sort of. My dad's company's mascot—a beautiful white stallion—and my uncle's company's mascot—an enormous golden eagle—were having it out on a sandy beach. I started running forward, begging them to stop, screaming that they were brothers, but my heels dug into the sand, and I couldn't move. Just as the eagle dove for the stallion's throat, I heard a sharp _whack!_ The image turned to black, and I sat up.

I was in Mrs. Dodds' pre-algebra class, and had fallen asleep in the middle of one of her hour long lectures. The noise that had woken me up was her yard stick slamming on my desk. I looked up at her beady eyes, and felt a shiver run down my spine. Next to me, my best friend Grover was curled up on his chair, as far away from Mrs. Dodds as physically possible. Mrs. Dodds wore her sweet face, which scared me more than any anger she could give me. Why? Because it meant I was about to get in trouble. Big trouble.

"Now, honey," she said to me real sweet. _Uh-oh, _I thought. When it comes to Mrs. Dodds, that's never good. "As much as it pains you to think, please be sure to pay attention in my class in the future."

Snickers rose up around the room, and I felt my face get hot. "Yes, ma'am…" I comforted myself by imagining breaking the yard stick in half over her head. She turned away and headed back to the front of the room, but not before tossing a slip of paper over her shoulder. "Be quick about it," she told the blackboard.

I recognized the paper from the time I had accidentally shoved Nancy Bobofit into the boy's bathroom. It was a request slip. I was wanted at the front office.

I shoved my textbook/pillow into my backpack and stood up to leave the room. When I got to the doorway, I heard Mrs. Dodds' voice stop me, "And honey?"

"Yes?"

"When you get back, I'll have a stack of old workbooks for you to erase."

I muttered under my breath, and turned towards the office. When I opened the big glass door, Ms. Kerr's overpowering perfume rose up around me. Luckily, I had trained myself to have a slight immunity to the smell, and could now resist the urge to gag. "Hi, Ms. Kerr," I waved the request slip in greeting and set it on the desk in front of me. "Someone need to see me?"

Ms. Kerr looked up at me and smiled, then turned and nodded in the direction of a tall man sitting in one of the chairs in front of the Principal's door, the ones Grover and I had called: the E-Z Death Line. The man had on tourist's clothing, like he had just stepped off a plane from Hawaii. He had windblown black hair and sea-green eyes, and he smelled like a Californian beach. It was Poseidon. My dad.

"Something wrong, Dad?" I tried to sound politely interested, but the truth was I was terrified. My dad valued education over almost everything. Except family and swimming, of course. To call me out of class must have meant that something very, very bad had happened.

"It's nothing to be concerned of, Perseus." I flinched. My dad was the only one who called me by my real name. "But you needed to leave early if we were to catch our train."

"Train?" I was confused. Where were we going?

He nodded. "We're moving, Percy. To California. Los Angeles, to be exact."

I felt like my dad had just slapped me. "But… I _grew up_ in Nashville! I've never left _Tennessee_! Moving to a new town? A new _state_? I wouldn't know where to start! And what about Grover? Where will he go? And what about _her_? I promised I'd meet up with her again! Dad, my whole _life_ is in this town! What am I supposed to _do…_ nowthat we're moving?"

My dad held up his hands in a submissive gesture to stop my frantic ranting. "Whoa! Whoa! Slow down, Percy! I'm having trouble keeping up with you!"

I took a few deep breaths to calm down, and then fell backwards. Luckily, there was a chair behind me. My dad watched me for a long time. Then, when he finally spoke up, his voice was eerily calm. "First, there's a small high school in Hollywood for the gifted that you can go to."

I raised an eyebrow. "Gifted?"

He nodded. "They asked for you specifically for your writing skills and because having my son there would drastically raise their standards."

My heart sank. Once again, I was getting everything with a flick of my rich dad's wrist. Immediately, I shook my head, pushing the misery out of my thoughts. I should be thankful to go to such a special school.

"Second," my dad continued, "Grover is also going. We only _just let_ him stay with us after his parents died in that car wreck. I'm _not_ just going to shove him out the door and tell him to fend for himself!"

I let out a breath of air that I hadn't realized I had been holding. My dad may have been a big corporate businessman, but he was as laid back as mom always said _I_ was. He also _never_ turned a blind eye to _anyone_ in need.

"Oh. And one more thing." Poseidon, shrewd businessman, leaned forward, and I felt a rush of panic. "Who's _Her_?"

I swallowed. Hard. "Uh, nobody." My dad raised an eyebrow, and I retracted my previous statement, my face red. "I mean nobody _important_! She's just a girl I ran into at the river a few weeks ago."

My dad raised an eyebrow. He clearly wasn't convinced that this girl was just _nobody_. And to be perfectly honest, he was right.

We stared at each other for a few moments, until my dad finally decided not to press me any further. "Go get Grover. We're leaving now."

I nodded, and ran back to class. Anything to get away from him. I had forgotten how observant he was. There was _no way_ he was going to enjoy hearing exactly _who_ I had taken a liking to.

**That's the end of Chapter One. Please comment. 5 comments, and I will upload Chapter Two!**

**Thanks,**

**AtlantaJackson95**


	2. The Girl

**I do not own PJO. All credit goes to the **_**genius**_** Rick Riordan.**

Chapter 2:

The Girl

**Percy**

I was sitting in the moonlight on the bed of my truck, scribbling in my notebook while the fireflies raced across the water. I had been staring at her for an hour, trying to work up the nerve to say something to her. But I had a feeling she was taken. And can you blame me? The girl was seriously _gorgeous_! Her straw-colored hair was curled like a princess's, and tiny strands of gold were weaved into her ponytail. She was deeply tanned, and the light of the campfire danced across her face. The only things that didn't make her look like a stereotypical California girl were her eyes. They were a stormy gray. Pretty, but at the same time calculating, like she was trying to figure out the best way to take you down in a fight. She was sitting on the grass at the edge of the river, dangling her feet in the water.

Finally, I couldn't take it anymore. I set down my pencil and walked up to where she was sitting Then, I sat on the riverbank next to her—crossing my legs so I could look directly at her profile. I cleared my throat, and she turned those startling gray eyes on me. "Hi," I held out my hand. "You new here? The name's Percy Jackson."

She paused for a moment, staring me down, as if she was trying to figure out my intentions. She must have decided that I didn't look like a creeper, because she smiled and shook my hand. "Yes, I'm new here." Her voice flowed cool and calm. Normally, I thought Tennessee accents on girls were funny, but she made it sound adorable. "I'm Annabeth Chase. Nice to meet you."

Annabeth Chase. Why did that name sound so familiar? Wait… "You're not by any chance related to the famous college owner, Athena, are you?" My throat felt really dry.

She pursed her lips, and then nodded. "And _you_ certainly look a lot like my _mom's_ business rival, Poseidon. I'm guessing that he's your dad?"

I nodded, trying to keep calm, but I felt like punching a wall. Our parents were enemies, thanks to some shady business deal that didn't work out _way_ before I was born. Luckily, over my sixteen years of life, I had mastered the art of the poker face. _Say something _clever_, Jackson,_ I thought._ Make her decide not to worry about it._ I shrugged, as if I didn't care. "So? Just because our parents hate each other, doesn't mean we have to. We can chat for a while, _then_ decide whether or not to kill each other."

She laughed, and I mentally breathed a sigh of relief. "Well, I guess that's true." She grinned at me, and her eyes sparkled in the light of the campfire. "So, got an idea for a topic of conversation?"

I pursed my lips. "What are you doing in Nashville?"

"I wanted to see the capital. And I _love _coming to the river. It's always so peaceful here. And the stars are so _bright_." She smiled up at the sky. "It's like I can reach out and _touch_ them!"

I grinned. "Well, looks like we do have _something_ in common."

She blinked in surprise, and turned to look at me. "You come here for the same reasons?"

I nodded, then grinned at her teasingly, "But you left something out." I dipped my fingers in the water and swirled them in a circle, causing ripples to bounce off of her submerged calves. "Tennessee water ain't just for drinking, right?"

She mirrored my teasing smile, "You've got a point. And of course, there's always the old standard."

I tilted my head to the side, confused. "Old standard?"

She nodded, smiling mischievously. Then, she ducked down and ran her hand through the water, splashing me in the face.

"Hey!" I cried indignantly. But I was laughing, and she was laughing, too. I noticed that she had a cute way of doing it, tilting her head back and covering her mouth with the back of her hand, her shoulders shaking.

I found that, for some reason, I wanted her to know everything about me. And I wanted to know everything about her. So, when our laughter died down, I started what I would later have called: the Question-And-Answer Session of Terror. "So… what do you like to do with your free time?"

She paused for a moment, staring at the water, probably trying to collect her thoughts. "I like quite a few things," she finally said. "Reading, knife fighting, architecture-"

"Whoa, whoa, back up!" I squinted at her. "Knife fighting?"

She shrugged, "As much as I like Disney, us girls can't _all_ be Cinderella waiting for Prince Charming to rescue us." She winked at me, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "We've gotta find our _own_ way away from that evil stepmama."

I couldn't resist laughing at that. Annabeth could be pretty funny. Then another part of her interests caught my attention. "You like architecture?"

She sighed, turning her gaze back to the water. "Every time I find something I like, it all gets ripped out from under me. I want to build something permanent. Something that'll last for generations to come." She glanced sideways at me, as if daring me to laugh.

But I didn't. "Hey, if you like doing it, who am I to stop you?"

She blinked, obviously surprised. I guessed that she didn't get replies like that very often. After a few moments she smiled, her stormy eyes shining in the firelight. "What about you? What do you want to do?"

"Write. Journalism, novels, stuff like that." I shrugged. "Not as dazzling as architecture, I know, but… it's all I got."

She laughed in that cute way of hers. Acting on impulse, I spun where I was sitting so I was in the same position she was: sitting on the grass, arms behind me propping me up, feet dangling in the current; then I scooted over until there was about two inches of space between my left thigh and her right. She paused for a moment, staring at my lap, then she smiled and slid over, closing the distance between us, and leaned back to look me in the eye. Her irises sparkled teasingly. "You're not trying to seduce me, are you?"

"I… uh… I'm not…"

She bent her head forward and giggled. "I'm _messing_ with you, Seaweed Brain. Don't take it personally."

I paused, confused. "Seaweed Brain?"

She smiled. "Well, you _really_ like the water, and you seem to be pretty slow." She waved her hand dismissively. "Don't get too upset about it. I nickname _all_ of my closer friends."

I raised my eyebrow. "We've known each other for five minutes and we're _already_ close friends?" I grinned, leaning in a few inches. "You're either _really_ good at making friends, or you're desperate."

She looked pointedly away, but I could see that she was trying not to smile. "You're really a piece of work, aren't you Percy?"

It went on like that for another hour, us joking back and forth. I was beginning to think that I would stay there forever, when Grover hobbled over, obviously drunk off his ass. I had always assumed that "Percy" was a hard name to slur, but he did a pretty good job of it. I apologized several times to Annabeth, knowing that I had to take him home before he hurt himself. She looked about as happy about that as I felt, but she nodded in understanding.

I helped Grover stumble over to the passenger seat of my truck, drunk teenagers yelling behind me, calling us wimps, party crashers, and several other names that I can't repeat.

After tossing my notebook into the cab, I slammed the tailgate shut. I was just about to get in, when I felt Annabeth's hand in mine. My heart did a little relay race in my chest, and I turned to see her writing something on my palm. It was a phone number. She smiled at me, those piercing gray eyes twinkling. "Call me, okay? We could grab a cup of coffee or something."

I couldn't resist smiling. "That sounds great. Sure."

She smiled again, then she leaned forward and planted a kiss on my cheek. "It was great meeting you, Seaweed Brain," she whispered in my ear. Then she turned and headed back over to the riverbank.

I hopped into my truck, my head spinning. Next to me, Grover was still sober enough to resist the urge to laugh. I glared at him, then started up the engine. "Oh, _shut up_," I muttered.

Luckily, I only had to deal with his teasing remarks _half_ of the way home. The rest of the way was spent with him snoring in his seat, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

**Five comments and I will upload Chapter three! Thanks for the previous comments! They mean a lot!**

**Thanks!**

**AtlantaJackson95  
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	3. Life in Los Angeles

**I do not own PJO. All credit goes to the _genius_ Rick Riordan.**

Chapter 3:

Life in Los Angeles

**Percy**

I sat up in my seat, the memory of Annabeth's lips on my cheek still fresh in my mind. But I was never going to see her again. I put my chin in my hand and stared out the window at the world passing me by. I had been like that for quite a while, dodging bullets as to why I was so—as my mom put it—_melancholy_. My parents weren't stupid, and Grover was a terrible liar, so I knew that at any time they were going to figure _something_ out. But, at the moment, I didn't care.

I tried to focus on the positives. For one thing, I would never have to deal with Mrs. Dodds' "Now, Honey's". I would never have to see Nancy Bobofit's liquid Cheetos freckles. No more of Principal Charon's cold, hard stares that seemed to hold thousands of years of creepy. I had never liked that school anyway.

But, there were things that I _would_ miss. Fireworks lighting up the sky on the Fourth of July. The cool feeling of the river racing around me on warm summer nights. The sounds of crickets and cicadas in the twilight. And, of course, a kiss on the cheek at a bonfire on the riverbank. All of it. Gone like dust in the wind.

I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't notice my dad was calling my name until Grover elbowed me in the ribs. I looked up to see my parents watching me with identical looks of concern. Poseidon sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "Let me guess," his voice was laced with the pity that I didn't want, "that _Nobody_ that you met at the river wasn't just _Nobody_."

I was too emotional to argue, so I just nodded. He pursed his lips, trying to think of what to say. Finally, he leaned over his knees, his eyes sparked with interest. "What's her name?"

I ran my fingers through my hair, nervous. "Well… you see dad… I'm not so sure that you'll… like… _enjoy_ hearing who she is…"

His expression instantly became wary. "Perseus… what's her name?"

He spoke in his "Business Voice." The voice that expected to be obeyed. I sighed, then mumbled so quietly even _I_ couldn't hear. He got angry, his sea green eyes swirling like a tempest. "Perseus," he warned.

"ANNABETH CHASE!" I yelled, clenching my fists and glaring at my lap. I didn't need to explain. The daughter of my dad's business rival was fairly well known. I waited through the silence, the echo of her name bouncing around the car. After what felt like hours, but was probably only a few minutes, my mom spoke up.

"Well, Percy," she sounded tentative, like she was worried about what she was saying, "if you like this girl as much as it seems, then I say go for it."

"Sally-" my dad spluttered, but my mom cut him off, her voice now firm.

"Poseidon, you know as well as I do that, quite like you yourself, he has an obedience streak instead of a rebellious streak. I think that it's better to give our permission than to deal with him sneaking around. Besides," she poked my dad playfully in the stomach, "it's a good chance for you to clear things up with Athena. That rivalry has gone on long enough, don't you think?"

I wanted to hug my mom, but I kept silent, waiting for my dad's reply. "I suppose," he muttered grudgingly. I wasn't sure whether to be happy or angry. Finally, I chose the latter.

"What's the point?" I muttered bitterly. "_She's_ in Tennessee. _I'm_ going to California."

My dad perked up at that. Obviously, he wasn't as okay with this as he claimed. But he immediately put on his poker face. When he spoke, it was with the sympathy that I had always hated. "Sorry, Percy. But, you know, there'll be other girls…"

I rolled my eyes. "No offense, dad, but _how many_ _times_ do I have to say this…. I don't need your sympathy. I don't _want_ your sympathy. Please don't _give_ me your sympathy." I glared out the window, refusing to look at my parents. My dad sighed, and they left me in silence for the rest of the trip.

* * *

><p>We got to the LA Amtrak station around six on Sunday afternoon. Luckily, my dad had paid to ship my truck over. He had offered to buy me a new one, but I couldn't part with the old thing. It was reliable, and I liked it. Of course, my dad was probably just fine with it, since between the truck bed and my mom's Saturn, we didn't have to call an extra moving van.<p>

The new house was huge. There were two stories for the usual stuff: kitchen, bathroom, my parents' bedroom. Then there was the attic. It was so enormous that the old owners had split it in half and built two rentable apartments. Instead of renting them out though, Grover and I were given them.

To be honest, I wasn't all that impressed by them. I had never been very interested in expensive things like that. In fact, as soon as Grover and I finished unpacking, we bolted for the truck. Then, we spent the rest of the afternoon exploring the town. Since it was only the Sunday before the second week of school, there were teenagers everywhere. I liked it. It was definitely huge compared to Nashville, and fairly confusing, but I could get used to it.

At around eight, we came back and explored the neighborhood. I liked the community basketball court. Grover was slightly more interested in the girl on the staff. She was cute in an elfish kind of way, and she was fairly nice. Her name was Juniper. I wasn't very interested, but at one point, while the three of us were shooting hoops with some guys from the neighborhood, I turned to find Grover ogling over her. Of course, I _always_ take opportunities like that, and threw the ball at his face, sending him sprawling onto the ground, the entire court doubling over with laughter.

"Hey," he cried indignantly, sitting up and rubbing his forehead. "What was that for?" I could tell he was over exaggerating for the sake of getting Juniper's attention. I'd hit him harder than that before and all he did was sit up laughing. So I picked up the ball from where it had rolled over to my feet, and heaved it at him. This time he was ready, and caught it easily. I held out my hand and helped him up, "Grover, put your eyes back in your head and try not to drool on the ball."

More laughter. Grover's face went red, but it had the reaction that I wanted. Juniper started dusting his shirt off, asking if he was okay, glaring at the guys who had just been flirting with her but were now laughing at Grover. I gave him a thumbs up, and he grinned at me thankfully. We quit the game early, and Juniper's previous followers gave me death glares on my way out.

Juniper came with us back to the house, insisting that she make sure that Grover was okay before she left. She ended up leaving with her phone number on the back of his hand and her lipstick print on his cheek. Grover thanked me so many times that it got annoying, so I left on my own to find what I had been saving for last.

Just steps away from our backyard was probably the only thing that had made this move bearable. Three miles of private beach, available only to those that lived in the neighborhood. I spent three hours exploring, and by the time I finally came back—around midnight—my hair was speckled with ocean spray. The sea had always calmed me down, and it didn't fail me this time. I was fairly good at spotting details, and had found something that obviously hadn't been found in a long time. I had spent an hour and a half clearing out the spider webs, and had made a note to come back as soon as I could.

When I got upstairs, I slid into bed, not even bothering to change, and was asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

**Five comments and I will upload chapter four! Thanks for the previous comments! They mean a lot!**

**Thanks!**

**AtlantaJackson95**


	4. I Get Popular

**I do not own PJO. All credit goes to the _genius_ Rick Riordan.**

Chapter 4:

I Get Popular

**Percy**

The annoying sound of my alarm pierced my dreamless sleep. I groaned, rolling over and effectively falling out of bed with a loud _thump_. I grimaced and sat up, cross-legged, holding the back of my head with both hands.

"Percy?" my mom's worried voice called from below. "Are you okay?"

"Fine, mom!"

"Well, hurry up, then! I'm making blue waffles!"

I couldn't resist smiling. At least _some_ things would never change.

Fifteen minutes later, while my mom and I—my dad had been called onto a business trip earlier this morning—chatted over breakfast, Grover came down, hair still soaking wet from a shower. After numerous promises to come back in time to drive Grover and me to school on time, I stepped out back and raced down to the water.

My mom hates it when I'm soaked in public, so I just stood in the sand on the tideline, closing my eyes, letting the cool ocean breeze calm my frantic nerves. Drops of saltwater collected on my hair, the scent of the sea surrounding me in a calming fog.

After about ten minutes, I reluctantly turned and slowly climbed the dune back to my yard. Grover was hysterical when it came to tardiness, and I didn't want to get on the bad side of the only friend I had in town, so by the time we got to Graecus Hollywood Arts High, there was still a half hour before the late bell rang.

The standard drill of whispering and pointing started as soon as we left the parking lot. Strangely, most of them were girls talking about me. Whether they were good or bad, I have no idea.

After a few minutes, a few brave students came over to where we sitting on picnic tables to introduce themselves. With my ADHD, it was hard to keep track of the names, but I managed.

The first to speak up was an Italian freshman with dark eyes, messy black hair, and an aviator's jacket. "Hey! You guys must be the new kids, Perseus Jackson and Grover Underwood. I'm Nico di Angelo. Pleasure to meet you."

Grover looked about as uncomfortable about being the center of attention as I felt, so I answered him with the cheesiest grin I could muster. "That's us! But _no one_ calls me Perseus. If you need to, call me Percy." I held out my hand and he shook it.

Nico jabbed his thumb in the direction of a tall, beefy guy that looked like he spent twenty-three hours of his day in a machine shop. "That's Charles Beckendorf. But he goes by his surname, so don't bother remembering Charles."

Beckendorf nodded at me, "'Sup Percy." We shook hands, and then he and Nico shook Grover's hand.

Finally, Nico rested his forearm on the shoulder of a dark-haired guy that looked like a baby on steroids. "Lastly, this Chinese-Canadian dork is Frank Zhang." Frank nodded at me, and I shook his hand.

They asked us to describe Tennessee, and I let Grover start, since they only thing that he really missed was Martha May's famous enchiladas. I had heard those stories before, and it didn't take long for my attention to wander.

There were several girls staring at me, smiling, winking, and generally causing mass jealousy in the male department. Only a few weren't giving me a second glance. One of them—thankfully—I recognized, and I waved Juniper over. She grinned and complied, ignoring death glares from most of the female student body.

Grover immediately perked up when she came over, and the tension situated around her eased when she kissed his cheek. "Hey Grover," she sounded glad to see him, "how are you feeling?"

Grover grinned, looking a little dazed from the kiss. "Fine, thanks. I'm guessing that you go to school here?"

She nodded, and Grover grinned at me like he had just won the lottery. When Juniper turned to talk to Beckendorf, Grover mouthed, _she was worried about me_.

I stifled an eye roll and fist bumped Grover. Him and his pretty girls. Sometimes it made me want to throw up. At least _this_ one seemed to have taken an interest in Grover as well.

I was so preoccupied with trying to ignore the stares from the student body, I jumped when Juniper called my name, causing Nico, Beckendorf, and Frank to laugh hysterically. "Y-yes?" I stammered.

Juniper looked like she was trying not to laugh as well, but she continued, "Those girls I was just talking to told me to ask if you had a girlfriend."

My face flushed, but I shook my head. Shrieks of delight and several "He's mine's" rose up from where Juniper had just been. Juniper, however, pursed her lips. "Judging from how red your face is, I'm guessing that that's not the _whole_ truth. Have you got a crush on a girl back in Tennessee?"

I flushed harder, and nodded this time. "Please don't ask," I muttered. Luckily, none of them pressed me.

We sat there chatting for fifteen minutes, newcomers joining the fray as they arrived. Travis and Connor Stoll: twin brothers with wild looks in their expressions that told me not to trust them with shaving cream or anything expensive; Katie Gardner, a tall girl that kept gardening gloves in her back pocket and whose favorite pastime was arguing with Travis; Thalia Grace; a violent senior who hated "shallow" guys and everything about dating; Jason, her little brother, who loved flying and was a natural borne leader; Leo, the wisecracking Latino; Piper, a pretty tomboy who argued with Leo like siblings; and Rachel, a cheerleader that loved to paint and seemed to have taken a pretty big interest in me.

After introductions, my head spinning with all of the new names, Rachel led Grover and me to the office to get our schedules, flirting with me all the way. I glanced at Grover, who was trying not to laugh, and mouthed, _911!_ Instead, Grover bit his lip and snorted, and I smacked the back of his head, letting loose a fit of his laughter.

I can honestly say I was glad when the secretary sent Rachel to her locker. She reached into her desk and handed us maps and schedules, explaining the layout of the school in a voice that clearly said that she was bored of this routine. We left the office and went our separate ways to find our lockers. On the way, I glanced at my schedule:

_A Day:_

_8:00-9:00 General Physics_

_9:15-10:15 Latin and Mythology_

_10:30-11:30 Theatre_

_11:30-12:15 Lunch_

_12:15-1:15 Precalculus_

_1:30-2:30 Physical Education_

_B Day:_

_8:00-9:00 American Government_

_9:15-10:15 Creative Writing_

_10:30-11:30 Journalism_

_11:30-12:15 Lunch_

_12:15-1:15 Free Period_

_1:30-2:30 Advanced Metals_

The secretary had explained to me that schedules alternate between A and B days. It was an A day, so that meant that my first class was Physics.

This went on for the rest of the week, dodging flirting girls as politely as I could, trying not to fall asleep in class, etcetera. I had a bit of fun during lunches, though. Nico and his friends invited Grover and me to sit in the grass with them, and they questioned us on Tennessee. I felt very conflicted when Friday rolled around and we had to go home for the weekend. But, just as Grover and I were about to leave, Nico and the guys invited us to check out the town on Saturday. We had nothing else going on, so phone numbers were passed around, and they agreed to meet us at the food court in the mall, since it was the easiest place to find.

When we got home, Grover and I finished our homework up, then he went upstairs to blast his music at maximum volume, and I grabbed my iPod and headed down to the beach.

I had been spending _all_ of my free time there. Specifically at the deserted place I had found my first day. I was getting into the swing of things—at least, I was learning my way around LA—but the beach was still my favorite place to go. The natural beauty of it reminded me of Tennessee, and the sunsets were _beautiful_.

Unfortunately, if I thought about Nashville too hard, my mind would wander to the bonfire, and to Annabeth. I would always end up pulling out my phone and sifting through my contacts until I found her name. But I'd stop myself before I could hit the SEND button. I mean, what was I supposed to say? _Sorry I haven't called since we met, but I moved 2050 miles and I want to take you up on that offer of coffee now?_ I could see why she dubbed me _Seaweed Brain_. In the end, I would just stare at her number, imagining her face, trying to keep the image locked in my mind.

Finally, at about midnight, I sighed and trudged back to the house, for once, the beach not doing anything to help my mood. I crawled into bed and fell asleep instantly, where I dreamed that Annabeth was calling me a stupid coward.

**Sorry to those who asked me not to include Luke/Rachel. But whats the point of a plot line without a problem/rival?  
><strong>

**Five comments and I will upload Chapter 5! Thanks for the comments! They mean a lot, and they make me finish chapters faster!**

**Thanks!**

**AtlantaJackson95**


	5. My Friends Set Me Up

**I do not own PJO. All credit goes to the _genius_ Rick Riordan.**

Chapter 5:

My Friends Set Me Up

**Annabeth**

I woke, blinking into the blinding morning sunlight seeping through my bedroom window. The first thing I did—as usual—was check my messages. Nothing. Just the time and date blinking away, mocking me. I groaned, chastising myself. _Seriously, girl. Get a_ hold_ of yourself. He's just _one_ guy._

But he wasn't _just_ one guy. Never in my life had I truly connected with someone so easily. Never in my life had I met someone who would make me weak in the knees with a glance. And never in my life had I given my phone number to someone I had met only an hour before. I couldn't help it. Whenever I closed my eyes, all I saw was that windblown, raven-colored hair; or those deep, sea green eyes that seemed to hold a thousand emotions at once.

I sighed. All of my life, I had been building up walls to keep people out. Keep people from hurting me. This guy had broken them all down. He was exactly what I needed, and now he probably hated me, or _worse_, thought I was a creepy slut for giving him my number so quickly.

I shook my head to clear my thoughts. I had moved before I could see him again. All of that was in the past. And I had had _plenty_ of time to dwell on it over the past week when I had pneumonia. That had been—without a doubt—the _worst_ week of my life.

I sighed and climbed out of bed, intent on washing my emotions away in the shower. When I went downstairs, my hair still dripping wet, I almost tripped over Matthew and Bobby's Legos sculpture. Cursing under my breath, I hobbled over to the kitchen, following the smell of eggs and bacon. When I got there, my dorky brothers were already at the table, and my mom was at the stove.

"Morning," I grumbled. "Where's dad?"

My mom answered me without looking up, "He had to substitute for a sick history professor today. How are you feeling?"

"Fine. Just a little tired. You _know_ I'm not a morning person."

My mom smiled at me, but the look in her eyes told me she wasn't as happy about whatever she was about to ask as she seemed. "So… has that boy you like called you yet?"

I silently cursed myself for _ever_ telling my parents about him. "His name is _Percy_, mom. And no, he hasn't called. Good thing too. Explaining to him that I had just moved 2050 miles would be kind of a headache." I tried to sound uncaring, but inside I was a wreck. I sat down. Hard. Luckily, there was a chair under me.

My mom pursed her lips. I could tell that she didn't believe my indifference. "Hon, he's a son of _Poseidon_. It's in his genetic _makeup_ to be a heartbreaker."

I shook my head bitterly. "Mom, he's not _all_ Poseidon. There's some Sally Jackson in that Seaweed Brain of his. And from what I've heard, she's actually a _really_ good person."

My mom scoffed. "Anyone who falls for that _Barnacle Beard_ has to be as idiotic and rude as he is."

I sighed. I'd had this conversation too many times to count. I decided to try something different then just agreeing with her automatically. "Okay, mom. Let's say for the sake of the argument that Poseidon _is_ as stupid as you say. Doesn't that mean that it would take a truly _intelligent_ woman to see the good in him? _Especially_ enough good to fall in love with him?"

She pursed her lips. "I guess. But I'm _still_ not sure about them…"

I stared at her. "Mom, what do you care? They're over two thousand miles away, aren't they?"

She stared down at the sizzling bacon, and didn't answer for a moment. "I guess that's true."

After breakfast, my mom wiped her mouth and began to wash the dishes. "Annabeth? Why don't you go unpack? There's a new bookshelf in your closet." I got the feeling that there was something that she wasn't telling me, but I complied.

I climbed upstairs and opened a box of my books to unpack. I was about halfway through the bookshelf when my phone rang. When I picked it up, the number wasn't one I recognized. Hesitantly, I pressed the SEND button, and touched the phone to my ear. "H-hello?"

"Hey, Annabeth! It's Thalia!" Thalia's static voice resonated in my ear.

I breathed a sigh of relief. Thalia had been the first person to greet me on my first day. "Hey, Thalia! What's up?"

I could hear giggling and shushing in the background, and I felt one of my walls rebuilding. I could tell that Thalia was trying not to laugh when she asked, "How's your pneumonia?"

"Fine," I was wary. And can you blame me? "It's a hundred percent _gone_."

"Great! Then can you meet a few friends of mine and me at the central mall today?"

Now I was _really_ suspicious. "Thalia, you don't really strike me as the _mall_ type…"

"Oh, I'm not! _Trust_ me! But the mall is in the center of town. It's a great place to meet up if you want to wander."

I was still suspicious, but I figured, _What the hell?_ "Sure," I replied into the phone. "Where and when?"

"Noon at East third and Walnut." I breathed a sigh of relief. My car was broken, and the mall was an okay biking distance from my house. I checked my watch. 10:47. I could make it.

"All right. But if it's a mall, where should we meet?"

More giggling. "At the food court. We'll have Panda Express before we go."

I nodded, even though they couldn't see me. "Okay. See ya then!" I hung up and slid my phone into my pocket. I continued unpacking until my watch said 11:30, then I grabbed my wallet and ran downstairs. On my way to the garage, I tossed a: "Bye mom! Meeting some friends in town!" over my shoulder.

"Leave your phone on!" was the only reply. I opened the garage door and took out my bike. Leaving my helmet where it was, I pulled out of the driveway and turned in the direction of the mall.

* * *

><p>By the time I got to the food court, everyone else was already there. Thalia waved me over. The group consisted of: Thalia, Piper, Katie, and a pretty girl whose name I had to rack my brain to remember. Selina Bauregaurd. That was it.<p>

On my way over, I passed a table that—out of the corner of my eye—I noticed was filled with guys. As I passed, I heard a choking noise from one of them. There was some coughing, but I ignored it. I didn't want _another_ guy to flirt with me. Other than the choking guy, there were a few wolf whistles. No more than normal.

"Hey," I sat down next to Selina, "so have you had lunch yet? 'Cause I'm _starved!"_

Thalia shook her head, then she pointed to a Panda Express behind me. "Chinese, anyone?"

We stood up and got in line. I was last. Just before it was my turn, my phone rang. I didn't recognize the number. _What _is_ it with people and calling mysteriously today?_ I thought. But I answered anyways. "Hello?"

"Hey, Annabeth!" My heart skipped a beat. Even through a phone, I would never forget that voice. "It's Percy, from the river. What's up?"

"Hi, Percy!" _Oh god! What do I say?_ Then—of course—Piper finished ordering, and the woman behind the counter looked at me expectantly. "Listen, do you think I can call you back? I'm kind of busy right now."

"Mmm." He didn't sound surprised, and I felt suspicious. "You want my advice? You can't go wrong with Orange Chicken."

I froze.

In front of me, Panda Express's famous Orange Chicken steamed up the glass. Thalia and the others were high-fiving and squealing like they planned this. I felt a strange mixture of emotions that I couldn't place. "H-how-how did you know I was at Panda Express?"

His voice was teasing when he said, "I'm psychic."

I laughed. "No, seriously."

There was a smile in his voice as he muttered softly into the phone, "Turn around."

I did. Hundreds of teenagers were chatting at tables. I silently thanked God that I was the only one in line for Panda Express, then swept my gaze across the crowd. The table that finally caught my eye was the one where someone had choked earlier. Several guys kept glancing in my direction. The only one who _wasn't_ looking away was on his phone, a small smile on his face. He waved, and my mouth dropped open. I was too far away to see the color of his eyes, but I'd recognize that messy mop of black hair anywhere.

It was Percy.

**Cool cliffhanger, huh? Sorry to those who don't like them, but I like to keep you on your toes. And as for the mall, I know that there is no such place, but this is fan _fiction_. I based the layout on Valley River mall in Eugene, Oregon, and let my mind wander for the rest.**

**Five comments and I will upload Chapter 6! Thanks to the previous comments! They make me want to finish faster!**

**Thanks!**

**AtlantaJackson95**


	6. Somebody Pinch Me

**I do not own PJO. All credit goes to the _genius_ Rick Riordan. I also do not own the Hunger Games series or Resident Evil.  
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Chapter 6:

Somebody Pinch Me

**Annabeth**

I stared, open mouthed at a guy I thought I would never see again. He chuckled in that way of his that I had thought was so _sexy,_ closing his eyes and bowing his head, his whole body shaking. When he spoke, his voice was teasing, "I'm guessing you missed me?" Even from the other side of the food court, I could see his cocky grin. "Am I really that _awesome_?"

I laughed, "I wouldn't count on it, Seaweed Brain." I could feel several eyes on the two of us, but at the moment, I didn't care.

He chuckled again, then pointed lazily in my direction. "I'll let you go. That staff worker looks _really_ scary in a hairnet." He hung up and glared at his laughing friends, tossing a few words their way that—from the way his mouth moved and from their reactions—probably wouldn't be very good to say in front of nuns or small children.

I turned around and ordered, finally joining Thalia and the other girls who were laughing and glancing at Percy's table. One of the guys—Leo, I think his name was—winked at Piper and shot her with a finger gun. It seemed to be a purely brotherly gesture, but Piper's face turned the color of a strawberry. I reminded myself to ask her about it later.

After much protest—mainly by me—Thalia led us over to the guys' table, taking up the remaining seats. I ended up sitting next to Percy. (Whether or not that was planned, I have no idea.)

"So," Percy sipped his drink thoughtfully. "What are you guys doing here?"

Piper grinned. "It was Selina's idea. Grover told the guys about Annabeth, and she told _me_ about meeting _you_, so we figured this was the most _hilarious_ way of you two finding out about the other moving to our school."

Percy and I exchanged a glance. "You go to Graecus High?" we asked each other simultaneously.

Selina put her hands over her chest. "Aww, you two are already thinking the same things! Isn't that _adorable_? You are so _made _for each other!"

Percy and I blushed at the same time, then we turned to glare at Selina and protested, "We're _not_ made for each other!" We both said it at the _exact_ same time in the _exact_ same tone, which caused a round of laughter throughout the group.

"Anyways," Nico managed through his laughing, "I'm glad we did this. It _was_ hilarious." He turned to grin at Percy. "Dude, you should have seen your _face_ when you saw her. You started _choking_!" Another round of laughter started when Percy turned pink.

I turned to look him straight in the eye. "Choking? That was _you?" _He didn't answer, but his face going from pink to cherry-red was all the answer I needed.

The others pulled him into a conversation, and I leaned back and looked him up and down. I had never seen him in broad daylight, and seeing him now, I realized something: he was _hot!_ He was fairly well muscled-not too skinny, not a jerky beefcake. His hair was shaggy, colored like a raven, and ran down over his eyes. It was messy, but I kind of liked it that way.

And his eyes. Sea green eyes. Power and calm all rolled into one. They were as wide and as filled with emotion as the sea itself, and were just as unpredictable. They seemed to change shade as he moved from one emotion to the other. When he was angry or frustrated, they were as dark as a tempest. But when he was teasing or laughing, they were as light as the ocean on a hot summer day. And no matter what, there was always a twinkling light in them that would make _anyone_ dub him as a troublemaker.

Piper's voice calling my name yanked me out of my thoughts. I tore my gaze off of Percy and turned to look her in the eye. "Yes?"

Piper looked like she was trying not to laugh. "I wanted to know if you were okay with the guys joining us on our tour today, since the whole _point _of it was to meet up with them." She rolled her eyes, snickering, "Honestly, weren't you paying attention?"

I felt my face get warm, and I sheepishly shook my head. I was paying attention to _something_, it just wasn't their conversation. I glanced over at Percy, who was sipping his drink thoughtfully. Thankfully, he didn't seem to have noticed I was _staring_ at him.

Unfortunately, Piper must have noticed, because she grinned teasingly, "I'll admit, Annabeth, Percy is fairly good-looking. That doesn't mean that you have to _drool_ over him!"

I felt my face go from warm to red-hot. Percy choked to keep from performing a spit take. "Huh?" His face was as red as mine, and he was glancing from me to Piper.

I balled up my fists. "I wasn't drooling over him!" I protested. No one seemed to believe me, and Percy didn't pay attention. He seemed too preoccupied with staring me down with a bewildered and—possibly—confused look on his face. This time, his expression was so _priceless_, I joined in with the laughter.

His expression disappeared, to be replaced with a look of betrayal. "Not you too!" he whined, getting his tone perfect. I probably would have believed him, if it wasn't for the teasing sparkle in his eyes.

I punched him in the arm, and he grinned. "Yeah, sure," I answered Piper, "I'm fine with them coming with us."

Percy's eyes lit up for a moment, but then I saw a memory pass through them, and they turned confused. He turned to a short guy with brown hair and a Rasta cap. With a jolt, I recognized him as the drunken guy who interrupted Percy's and my conversation back at the river. "Hey Grover, how do you remember Annabeth? You met her _once_, and at the time you were drunk off your _ass_."

Grover blushed and grinned. "Dude, you _hate_ talking to pretty girls! You've said so yourself: you stink at talking to them, and—somehow—they always turn out vain and shallow. When I saw you engaged in a conversation that you actually seemed to be _enjoying_? I thought it was too good to be true! No _way_ would I forget something like _that!"_

I guessed it was a little more in-depth of an answer than Percy was expecting, because his face turned—as my dad would probably say—redder than an overcooked lobster. Percy looked around the table at all of the snickering teenagers, then he suddenly gained an interest in picking at a speck of mud on his Levi's. I couldn't stifle a giggle, and saved Percy from more embarrassment by changing the subject. "So… Thalia," I turned to the dark-haired senior, "are there any good bookstores around here?" Percy turned just enough to mouth, _thank you_ in my direction. I nodded to show him that I'd seen.

If anyone had seen the exchange, they gave no sign of it. Thalia nodded, then pointed East. "There's a great bookstore three blocks down. And yes," she turned to glare pointedly at the grumbling guys who obviously weren't readers, "there _are_ video games in the back." Instantly, the unhappy guys sat up straight, grinning with excitement.

"Cool," I grinned, "I've been saving up money for Mockingjay and _Resident Evil: Apocalypse_!"

Instantly, all eyes turned to stare at me. All except Percy, who just sipped his drink and mumbled, "I've read Mockingjay. It's a real let down compared to the other two books. I wouldn't get it if I were you." Attention turned to Percy. **(A.N. Yes I know Percy Jackson hates reading, but it's **_**my**_** fan fiction. I can do what I want with it. Sticks out tongue immaturely So **_**there!)**_

"Dude," Beckendorf stared at him, "you _read_?"

"You like _video games_?" Leo grinned at me, "Where have you _been_ all my life?"

Percy tensed at Leo's comment, but he relaxed before I could be sure. "Yes I read. I need examples for what good writing is like." More staring.

"You want to be a writer?" Leo's attention swerved to Percy, who nodded.

I leaned over and whispered so only Percy could hear me, "Lunch table dodge ball. Better duck." He chuckled, and I leaned back to continue so everyone could hear me. "What's wrong with a girl who likes video games? How _sexist_ can you get?" Everyone took an interest in their food.

Percy fiddled with his bead necklace, obviously nervous. "So… Annabeth. Um… design any good buildings lately?" **(A.N. Yes I know this is a quote from book three. I figured that since I'm not very good at portraying characters, I could use a few quotes every now and then to get me back on track.)**

Instantly, I got excited, like I always did when I talked about architecture, and I ignored the confused stares that were given to Percy. "Oh my God, Percy, there's this Architectural museum that only a block away from school that I can reach during free period and…" I explained about the museum, watching Percy's eyes glaze over with confusion when I mentioned hinge joints and self-structures. **(A.N. Honestly, I'm completely making this up. I have absolutely **_**no**_** idea what Annabeth talks about either. For those of you Architects, please bear with me here.)** When I wore out of Architectural stuff, and everyone was finished eating, we cleaned off the table and headed for the bookstore.

Percy and I trailed behind, chatting about our favorite genres of books, as I tried to ignore the triumphant glances of the others. Instead, I focused on Percy's smile, the way he gestured with his hands, how, no matter how dark or annoying the conversation, he'd always say something goofy to lighten the atmosphere at his own expense.

It went on like that for the rest of the day, Percy and I talking, the others using every opportunity they could to ditch us for a short while. I didn't really mind though. Every time they did, our conversations switched to more personal topics. At the end of the day, we finished up at a frozen yogurt shop back at the mall. Everyone left early, even Grover, who said he was getting a ride home with Nico. In the end, it was just Percy and me.

He started fiddling with his bead necklace, like I'd noticed that he always did when he was nervous. "So… what time are you expected back home?"

I checked my watch: 5:47. Then I waved my hand dismissively, "My mom works night-shifts, and my dad is always too tired to care what happens to me. As long as it's not a school night, I can pretty much come back whenever."

"Really…" a sly smile spread across his face. "Then I kind of want to show you something I found on the beach last week. Have you got a swimsuit on you?"

I scoffed. "This is _California_. I've got a swimsuit in my locker at _school!"_

He grinned, "Great!" Then he nodded at my near-empty smoothie cup. "You finished?" I nodded, and he grabbed my hand and pulled me outside to the bike racks. His hand was warm, and I couldn't stop my stomach from doing backwards somersaults.

We dumped my bike in the back of his truck, and he drove off towards where he had said his house would be. I knew that I shouldn't have done this. I _barely_ knew the guy. But, looking at him, there was just _something_ about him that made me want to trust him. And I knew that it wasn't because of how hot he was. I could tell by the fact that my gut wasn't in knots. It was something else. Something about the way he carried himself, the way he was so laid back and good-natured. It made me trust him automatically.

I sighed to myself, staring out the windshield. If only my _mother_ could see me now. To be honest, I had kinda _lied_ about the not caring part. Or, at least, I hadn't told the _whole_ truth. Sure, my mom wouldn't care, if I was with anyone _but_ Percy Jackson. I blew my hair out of my face, sure I was going to be in _big_ trouble when I got home. But, at the moment, I didn't really care.

Percy's voice yanked me back to the present, "Bit frustrated?"

I stared at him. "How did you know?"

His flush looked more prominent in the afternoon sunlight. "I-" he stammered, "I've noticed that you blow your hair out of your face when you're frustrated. It was kind of a… lucky guess."

I didn't move for a moment. I had only gotten frustrated _once:_ when Selina had called us a cute couple. He must have been paying _extremely_ close attention to me to notice something as minimal as that. I felt my face flush.

"So?" he asked me.

"So what?"

He glanced briefly in my direction, then turned back to the road. "Why are you frustrated?"

"Oh." I looked down at my lap. "It's nothing."

"You're a terrible liar."

I sighed, then lifted my head, keeping my eyes fixed on the horizon, refusing the urge to look at him. "My mom. She _hates_ your dad. If she found out I was alone with you, she'd flip."

"And you still came?" he sounded surprised.

I nodded, then remembered that he was driving—he wouldn't be able to see me. "Yes. I came."

He was silent for a moment. When he finally spoke, there was an edge to his voice that I couldn't place. "Then we'll just have to make sure she doesn't find out, won't we?"

I laughed. "Yeah. I guess so." I leaned forward, staring out the window. "So where are we going." I turned to look at him.

He grinned, and glanced quickly over at me. "You'll see. But, unfortunately, we'll have to make a quick stop at my place. It won't take long, I promise. Just watch out for Grover." He chuckled. "He likes to turn his speakers up full blast around this time of day."

I pursed my lips, not satisfied with his answer, but I figured that that was all I was going to get. So I settled back into the seat and waited for us to get to _wherever_.

**Want to know where they're going? Five comments and you can find out in Chapter 7! Thanks for the previous comments! They make me work faster!**

**Thanks!**

**AtlantaJackson95**


	7. I Have A Rebellious Streak

**I do not own PJO. All credit goes to the _genius_ Rick Riordan.**

Chapter 7:

I Have a Rebellious Streak

**Annabeth**

When we finally got to Percy's house in Venice, it was around 6:30. He helped me get my bike in the garage, then opened the front door for me. His house was enormous! Poseidon had pulled out the stops when he set a budget. Percy, however, didn't seem to care very much. Apparently, he wasn't too worried about trivial things like expensive stuff. I wasn't either, but I still tended to admire such things. I guess it comes with being a girl. No matter how hard we try to hide it, there's a cheerleader inside us screaming to get out.

"Percy?" a woman's voice called from the kitchen. "Are you back?"

"Yeah, mom!" Percy turned towards the kitchen. "But we're not staying long." I followed him into the room.

"We? I thought Grover was home already. Who are you-" a middle aged woman who must have been Percy's mother caught sight of me.

She had been hugging Percy, who was muttering, "Choking. Not breathing," before she let go of him to see me better.

I stood uncertainly in the doorway, but Percy held out his hand towards me, inviting me in. I hesitantly took it, stepping forward until I was standing in front of his mother, then he let go, shoving his hands in his pockets. As awkward as it might have been for his mother to see us holding hands when we weren't dating, the non-rational part of me wished that he hadn't let go.

She looked me up and down for what felt like hours—though that probably was just my ADHD acting up—until she finally held out her hand for me to shake it. I accepted. She spoke tentatively, as if she were tripping on an awkward subject, "Are you Percy's… friend?" She said "friend" like there were several meanings and I could pick which one. **(A.N. Yes I know this is a quote from SoN. Rick Riordan is a GENIUS. I can quote from him if I **_**want**_** to.)**

"I'm his friend, yes. My name is Annabeth Chase." Her eyebrows rose when I introduced myself, and she looked from me to Percy, who was standing with a perfect poker face on. Then, she smiled, and pulled me into a hug. I jumped, surprised. She smelled like chocolate chip cookies.

She pulled back and put her hands on my shoulders. "It's great to finally meet you, Annabeth." She smiled, and I glanced over at Percy, who laughed.

"You'll have to excuse her," he chuckled. "We're an… emotional family." I flushed. It probably showed clearly on my face that I didn't get hugs very often.

Mrs. Jackson stuck her tongue out at Percy, but she dropped her hands from my shoulders. Then she turned to me. "My name is Sally Jackson. Please call me Sally."

I raised my eyebrows at Percy, who shrugged. "She hates: Mrs. Jackson."

I smiled, "Then it's very nice to meet you, Sally."

She crossed her arms and leaned back against the counter, raising her eyebrow quizzically at Percy, who blushed. "So, where are you two going?"

Percy waved his hand dismissively. "Nowhere, mom. Just down to the beach." I got the feeling he wasn't telling the _whole_ truth. And it seemed like Sally wasn't convinced, either.

But, in the end, she nodded. "Make sure you keep your cell phone on." Percy nodded dutifully.

She glanced between us. "Annabeth, Percy, would either of you like a cookie?"

I shrugged, "Sure." Percy nodded again. Sally picked up a tray that had obviously just come out of the oven, since it was steaming hot. On it were chocolate chip cookies that had been colored blue. I raised my eyebrow at them, but Percy and I each took one.

I must have been studying the cookie pretty warily, because they both laughed. Percy put his hand on my shoulder, "Relax. It's just a running joke we have." He turned to wink at his mom. "My favorite color is blue, and mom likes to go out of her way to humor me." They both laughed again, so I tried the cookie. It was amazing.

"Wow, Sally," I covered my mouth with my hand. "You're a _really_ good cook!"

She laughed, and patted Percy's cheek, which flushed with his embarrassment. "Nah, I've just gotten _plenty_ of practice. Percy here has _quite_ the sweet tooth." Percy pursed his lips, obviously thoroughly embarrassed, but not trying to deny the fact.

I opened my mouth to speak, but was cut off by Jesse McCartney blasting from the attic. I jumped, and Percy put a hand comfortingly on my back. "I _did_ warn you about Grover, didn't I?" He looked like he was trying not to laugh again. "Usually, I just grab my iPod and head down to the beach, though." He glanced down at his watch, "Speaking of which, we had probably better get going." I glanced down at my own watch. 6:45.

We said goodbye to Sally, and I followed Percy up to his bedroom, carefully avoiding moving boxes that were strewn all over everywhere. He quickly picked up an empty water bottle of all things, then we both headed back downstairs and he led me out to the backyard.

It was a fairly big, fenced in plot of grass, but Percy—once again—didn't give it a moment's glance. Instead, he led me to the back, where there was a small gate in the fence. He touched his fingertips to the handle, then turned back to me, grinning. "This is probably my _favorite_ place in California." Then he opened the gate to reveal a spectacular view of the ocean. The sun, slowly sinking towards the horizon, cast a hazy, orange light onto the sand below. Off in the distance was a crag of rock jutting out into the water.

Percy nervously held out his hand, and I took it, crossing the border between his backyard and the beach. He closed the gate behind us, then led me by the hand out to the crag of rock. The wind blew across my bare legs, and I wondered whether or not I should have worn daisy dukes and a tank top. I shrugged. No use complaining over the past. I had done enough of that lately.

When we got to the crag, he let go of my hand, and climbed a few meters up. Then, he turned back to me, his shaggy hair blowing in the ocean breeze. He looked like he had just arrived at home, instead of just leaving it. "We have to swim to get to our destination," he called over the wind. "There's a direct route through here, but it's just barely too small for a human to get through. Pass me anything you have that isn't waterproof."

I did, and he set them gingerly down in a hole in the rock that I hadn't seen before. Then, he hopped down and pulled me down to the shore. He stopped and held up the empty bottle, which I still had no idea of what for. "How long can you hold your breath?"

It seemed like a strange question, but I figured that he knew what he was doing. "Fifty seconds or so." I shrugged.

He nodded. "I can for four minutes. Much longer than any normal person." He held out the bottle to me. "It's going to take about a minute and a half underwater for us to get there. Cover the top with your thumb, and use the extra air in the bottle when you need to."

I stared at him. "Wow, Seaweed Brain. That's actually pretty smart!"

He shrugged. "I have my moments." He handed me the water bottle and slid his shirt off. I did my best not to stare, because I knew that we were going into the water, and it would be strange for a guy to swim with his shirt _on,_ but it was difficult. He was extremely well muscled, and I had to stare down at the water bottle while he slid his shirt into the hole as well. Then, he took my hand and pulled me into the surf.

I was cold at first, but as we kept going it warmed up. When the water got about shoulder height, he stopped and turned around. "I need to warn you, Annabeth." His eyes were deadly serious. "I found this place completely deserted. It took me _forever_ to get rid of all the cobwebs. I've never told _anyone_ about this place. Not even Grover or my parents."

I stared at him. "You'd tell a girl you barely know, but not your parents?"

He shrugged, blushing. "I feel like I can trust you."

I melted at that. But my logical mind—curse it—brought me back to reality. "Um… Percy?"

"Mmm?"

"Where exactly are we going?"

He smiled at that. Then, in answer, he put his finger to his lips and gave me a sly wink. "For now… that's _my_ secret." Then he pulled me forward, tracing the outline of the crag.

I had to swim to keep going. It seemed like forever, but when I finally checked my watch—thank God it was waterproof—it was only 7:36. When he finally stopped me, I felt like collapsing. "How can you handle swimming for so long?"

He turned back to look at me. "I was captain of the swim team freshman and sophomore year." Then he pulled me the last leg, until we were at the point of the crag.

The current was a little fierce, but I held onto the rock for support. Percy let go of my hand and held on to the rock next to me. "The entrance is about thirty feet below. Climb down the rock like you would a ladder. It might be a little difficult with the bottle, but I think you can handle it."

I stared up at him. "You know, if my mom were here, she would kill you for endangering my life."

He grinned. "Then I'm glad she's not here." Then his eyes turned serious, and he added, "Annabeth, if anything here was too dangerous for you, I never would have brought you here in the first place."

I nodded, deciding to trust him, and he took a deep breath and disappeared below. I put my thumb over the top of the bottle, sucked in a breath, and followed.

I was glad he had the idea for the water bottle. I ended up using it twice. By the time I finally got halfway through, to a point where light filtered in from above, I had about one use of the bottle left before it completely filled with water. I looked ahead for Percy, and…

I found I couldn't see him. I started to panic, looking around for him. I didn't have enough air to get back to the crag. I was lost without him to show me the way through the tunnels. I was just about to freak when I felt his hand on my shoulder. I looked up to see him pull me up until my head broke the surface.

I gasped, tossing the water bottle behind me. He helped me up until I was sitting on a rock next to him. I turned and held tightly to him, my head on his chest, and my arms around his neck. "Don't ever do that again! You scared me!"

"Sorry," he muttered. I could tell he was trying not to laugh. "I thought you saw me go up this way."

I shook my head, and held onto him as tightly as I could. He tensed for a moment, then wrapped his arms around my waist. I could feel his heart racing faster than normal under my cheek, and I felt my heart race as well. His muscular chest was warm and comforting, despite the fact that it was wet. I could feel his hot breath on my hair. It was soothing.

When I realized what I was doing, I quickly pulled back and stared down at the circle of water that we had just come from. He cleared his throat uncomfortably, then stood up and walked to the back of the…

Cave. It was a cave. An enormous cave, shaped like a conch shell. On the far end was a huge open space, about two hundred feet above the surface of the water. When I glanced at the walls surrounding the mouth of the cave, I understood why no one came here. The rocks were so smooth and slick that not even _daredevils_ would try coming in. I turned back to the end. I could see the hole where we dumped our stuff now. They had fallen through the point in the conch-shape.

Percy slipped on his shirt and gathered up our stuff. Then he came over and handed me mine. He looked a little nervous, like he was afraid that I wouldn't like the place. "_Please_ tell me that this was worth the trek…" he begged me. His eyes took on a puppy dog look that I doubted even a puppy dog _itself _could resist.

I laughed, then grinned at my surroundings. "Are you kidding?" I asked him. "This is _amazing!"_

He breathed a sigh of relief, then gestured around the cave. "I always come here when I'm feeling upset about something or just want some peace." He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "So… I'm pretty much here _all_ the time." He chuckled to himself, and I giggled.

He took my hand and led me to a spot on the floor of the cave, then pulled me down. We talked for a while, mostly about what I'd missed in school, since we pretty much knew _everything_ we could think of to know about each other by then.

After a while, he leaned back against the wall, propping his hands behind his head. I slid over to sit next to him, so close that our thighs were touching, just like they had on the night we met, so many weeks before. We sat in silence for a while, just enjoying each other's company.

I don't know when I nodded off. All I remember is Percy gently shaking my shoulder, calling my name. I opened my eyes to find that my head was on his chest. He pointed at the mouth of the cave, and I followed his gaze. My breath caught in my throat because of what I saw.

Since coming to Los Angeles, I had never gone down to the beach during sunset. It was truly the most _beautiful_ thing I had ever seen. I heard Percy shuffle next to me, and then his lips touched my ear. "This is the _other_ reason why I come here." He whispered.

We sat in silence, watching the stars appear in the sky. So far from the city lights, they were as bright as those in Nashville. But these seemed to reflect in the churning waters of the sea. "So… which do you like better?" Percy asked me, as if he could read my mind. "These stars? Or the ones in Tennessee?"

I leaned into him, and I felt his heart race under me. "These ones." I answered, sure of myself. Then, he wrapped his arms around me, and buried his face in my hair. Happier then I had felt in a long time, I fell asleep in his warm, strong embrace.

**Five comments and I will upload chapter 8! I'm on a roll! sorry to the person who asked if they were going to Montauk, but I'm afraid that Montauk's in New York... XP**

**Thanks for the previous comments!**

**Really, thanks!**

**AtlantaJackson95**


	8. My Life Gets Perfect

**I do not own PJO. All credit goes to the _genius_ Rick Riordan.**

Chapter 8:

My Life Gets Perfect

**Percy**

When I woke up, the cave still dark from the morning sunlight, I wondered if the night before had been a dream. I looked down, and felt a flush of relief. No. It wasn't a dream.

Annabeth was still asleep against my chest, her curly blonde hair falling down around her face. Somewhere during the night she had slid onto my lap. Her lips were parted, and she breathed softly through her mouth. I reached up and caught a lock of her hair between two fingers, smoothing it back into place. I chastised myself. I had only met her twice, but there we were, in the middle of a cave that I hadn't shown to anyone else, and I was watching her sleep. I felt like a creeper.

But I knew that I couldn't help it. There was something about her presence that made me weak in the knees and fuzzy in the head. I had thought that my heart would race right out of my chest when she had hugged me the night before. I had never felt this way about a girl before. Not even my mother held importance over her. I felt stupid, because I had only recently met her, but I knew that I meant it. No matter _how_ sappy it made me sound. I liked this girl _much_ more than I cared to admit.

I sat in silence, watching the light reflected off of the sea dance through her hair, turning it to gold. I was almost disappointed when she finally woke up. She shifted for a few moments, groaning, then her eyes fluttered open. I looked up and stared straight ahead. I didn't want her to think that I had been staring at her. I mean… I _had_… But still.

I felt her head shift as she looked up at me, but I kept my eyes fixed on the wall. "Morning," she mumbled. I had always thought that her Tennessee accent was adorable. It was nothing compared to her accent when she was sleepy. I had to think hard for a moment to remember my name.

"Morning," I was struggling with the urge to look at her face, but I resisted. I wanted to know how long I could hold out. "Sleep okay?" I felt her nod.

"So…" I felt her hot breath on my neck as she fingered my leather bead necklace. "It's Sunday, right?"

I nodded, trying to keep from sweating as I resisted. "Why?"

"Oh, I don't know," she dropped my necklace, and I prayed to God that she hadn't noticed my breath catch. "I just figured, since I didn't come home last night, my parents won't care if I spend today out and about as well." There was a smile in her voice when she added, "I've already broken most of the rules already."

I chuckled. "No sense in stopping at the Bronze for rebellion." I pursed my lips. "I think that quote came from Travis."

She giggled, and I gave in. When I met her gray eyes, they sparkled with such intensity that I found that I couldn't look away. A lock of her had fallen into her face, and I tucked it behind her ear. Her lips were curled into a soft smile. I wondered what they tasted like…

Instantly, I cleared my throat and looked away. _Don't even _think_ about it Jackson, _I thought. _She probably _already _thinks you're creepy. Kissing her would just prove her theory._ "So… um… what are you going to do today?"

She sat up and shrugged. "I think I might go swimming for a while."

She looked a little uncertain, and even though I hadn't known her for very long, I could guess what she was thinking. "You don't remember how to get through the underwater caverns, do you?"

Annabeth's eyes widened, then she huffed and pointedly looked away. "Me? Forget something? Percy, I'm known for my memory. I know _exactly_ where to go."

"Alright then," I leaned back and bent my arms behind my head. "Explain it to me."

Instantly, her eyes filled with uncertainty and nervousness. I couldn't stifle a chuckle. "Want me to draw you a map?" I teased.

She glared at me. "I'm fine Percy. I… just had to think about it for a second, that's all."

I chuckled again. "You're quite the stubborn one, aren't you, Wise Girl?"

She blinked in surprise at the nickname, then a slow smile spread across her face. "Got a problem with that Seaweed Brain?" Her eyes sparkled teasingly, temporarily taking my breath away.

I grinned. "Hell, no! I wouldn't have it any other way!" Her eyes sparkled brighter, and—acting on impulse—I pulled her into my lap and locked my arms around her waist. She didn't complain. Instead, she slid her arms around my neck and—closing her eyes—rested her head on my chest. Her hair smelled like lemon soap.

I probably could have stayed there forever, but Annabeth pulled back. "So… I don't know about you, but I kind of want to actually swim in the _ocean_. And… alright I admit it… I don't know which way I'm supposed to go. Whaddaya say, Seaweed Brain?"

I smiled at her, and gently pushed her off of my lap so I could set our stuff where I could collect them from outside the cave later. Then, we slipped into the dark abyss of the underwater cavern.

I moved slower this time, every once in a while checking behind me to make sure that she was still following me. Unfortunately, when we finally broke the surface of the water, she was gasping for breath. I made a mental note to find a happy medium for the speed in case she ever decided to come with me again.

When her breathing became normal, I glanced over at her—clinging to the rock against her back like she was afraid that she would drown if she let go. The drops of saltwater on her face brought out the sparkle in her eyes, causing her irises to glisten like stormy diamonds. Her clothes were plastered to her skin, showing off the curves that the t-shirts that I'd seen her wear hid. Even soaking wet in the middle of the Pacific, I still thought she was _beautiful_.

The logical half of my mind and the impulsive, ADHD half wrestled for control. In the end, the logical half won. I took her hand and pulled her back toward the beach.

When we got to a point where we could touch the bottom and her shoulders stuck out of the water, I got a really mischievous idea. I picked her up bridal style, then immediately dropped her in the surf. She popped up out of the sea, spitting out water, and glared at my purposely plastered innocent expression. Then, slowly, and evil smirk appeared on her face, and she tackled me, sending us both under the water.

It went on like that until noon, when we came back to my house. My mom stared between us suspiciously, but—very red-faced—we explained to her that absolutely _nothing_ happened. She finally believed us, and Annabeth offered to help cook lunch, dragging me along too. After a bit of grumbling—which was mostly mine—we finished, and Grover came down to eat with us.

My mom questioned Annabeth about herself, thoroughly embarrassing the both of us when she tried to call her my girlfriend. By the time 1:30 rolled around, and my mom offered to give her a ride home, she was absolutely _in love_ with Annabeth. My dad had taken the Saturn on his business trip, so my mom stole my truck keys, meaning that it would be just her and Annabeth.

Just before they left—and to this day I _still_ don't know if I did it because I could, or because I wanted to mess with Grover and my mom—I gently reached across Annabeth and took her hand, softly kissing her cheek. "See you at school, Wise Girl," I whispered against her skin. I stepped back and watched the color rise to her face, feeling it rise to my own. She nodded nervously, then turned and stepped around my gaping mother, heading for the truck. Mom glanced back at me, and I winked at her, grinning wickedly. Her face grew pale for a second, then she glared at me. I shrugged, and she turned and followed Annabeth out.

When I turned to look at Grover, his face was paler than mom's. He noticed that I was looking at him, and grinned.

"Dude," he chuckled. "When your dad gets back you are _so_ gonna get it!"

**Five Comments and I will upload Chapter 8!**

**Thanks!**

**AtlantaJackson95**


	9. Important! Please read!

**Hey guys!**

**Yeah, Yeah. I know. I hate Author's Notes too. You think you get _one_ more chapter then BAM! Just an author either apologizing from late deadlines or complaining from writer's block.**

**I'm sorry, but I'm desperate. I can't decide between four different scenarios. I'm taking a vote. The scenarios are:**

** 1:Keep everything the way it is: cheesy, perfect, and _all too boring_.**

** 2:Incorporate more of Rachel Elizabeth Dare in and make Annabeth second guess Percy's feelings for her.**

** 3:Add in a pretty Greek transfer student with caramel hair and chocolate eyes that goes by the name: _Calypso_.**

** 4:Add in a student teacher with blonde hair, blue eyes, an interest in sixteen year-old girls with gray eyes, and a scar that runs across his face that was _Not_ from Ladon in the garden of Hesperides. (If you don't know who I'm talking about, then I'm sorry. I will have to shun you. No hard feelings.)**

**Please answer. I can't make up my mind, and I _won't_ continue until I do.**

**Thanks!**

**AtlantaJackson95**


	10. Steven Shay

**Hey guys!**

**Sorry that I haven't updated this story in so long... I couldn't think of what to do next. Anyways... I realized that including one of the characters from the books is cliche and overused. So I thought of something else!**

**Yes, I know that I already have two other stories with the name Steven in them... But I like the name, and using a character I made up is much easier then making an old character OOC.**

**I purposely sped this chapter along because I hate it just as much as you will. Poor Percabeth...**

**Anyways, I ain't Rick Riordan. Just saying.**

Steven Shay:

**Annabeth**

"Wait… _Blue tulips?_"

Percy nodded. "We found a huge outcrop untouched outside of town. There's so many there that you could pick one per day for the next ten years and barely make a dent."

It was Monday afternoon, and he was taking me to the field that his parents had found a few hours after I had left the day before. His mom had decided to pick and sell the countless blue tulips that they had found there to pay for her Creative Writing degree. Apparently, she wanted to pay for college herself instead of relying on Percy's dad's money.

"Here we go," Percy pulled back a fern bush that hid a large hole in the undergrowth, just big enough for a person to get through. Percy held the space open, and I stepped through.

Instantly, I gasped. I had just stepped into an enormous clearing, where the sunlight touched a field of gorgeous blue tulips, making them shine with a thousand silky cobalt lights.

Percy stepped into the clearing next to me, and I could feel his eyes on me as he judged my reaction. He smelled like the salty sea air, a strong contrast to the soft and sweet scent of the tulips. The two scents molded together into one; though you wouldn't think that they work well together, they actually did.

I took a deep breath, and sea and sweet filled my lungs with a calm feeling. Hesitantly, I slid my hand into Percy's. He pulled away, and I felt a flash of embarrassment. That is, until I felt him step behind me, and his warm arms slide around my waist. I smiled and leaned back into him.

We stayed there for several minutes, until our ADHD won over, and we left. Percy led me through the forest and back to the truck.

We drove through winding country roads, until he dropped me off at my house, kissed my cheek, and left.

I was about to step onto my driveway, when a new voice called from behind me, "So is he your boyfriend?"

I turned to see a boy with coffee hair and chocolate eyes standing a few feet down the road. I recognized him from my Italian class: Steven Shay. We had spoken a few times over the past few weeks since I had come to school. He seemed nice enough.

I flushed when I remembered his question. "No. At least… I don't think so."

He nodded. "Good. A beautiful girl like you should have someone who pays a bit more attention to you than that."

I flushed harder. Was he flirting with me?

He studied the spot where Percy's truck had just been, before turning back to smile at me in a way that every girl wants to be looked at. "You're Annabeth, right?"

I nodded. "And you're Steven."

"Glad to know I'm important enough to be recognized."

I laughed.

It went on like that for several hours before I finally went inside, with plans on meeting up with him for a friendly cup of coffee. I sat down on my bed, pulled out my phone, and texted Percy for the next hour and a half before I finally went to bed.

The next day, I went through the daily boredom of school, then-immediately afterwards-I headed for the coffee shop down the street. Steven was already there, with two fruit smoothies sitting in front of him. I took one and sat down across from him.

We started talking. He was funny and he complimented me a lot. I couldn't help laughing at his outbursts. Why was this so easy? Every time I looked over at his chocolate eyes and coffee hair, I couldn't resist the urge to smile.

But then an image of Percy would flash across my mind, and I'd feel guilty. Then I'd feel angry that I was guilty. I wasn't doing anything wrong by hanging out with Steven... was I?

I began to spend more and more time with Steven, until I was shirking my other friends entirely. Towards the end of October, a month after I had come to Los Angeles, I had to cancel a trip to downtown with Percy and Thalia so I could go see a movie with Steven. Percy seemed to take it okay, but Thalia glared at me like I was devil spawn, then turned and stormed off, her black heels clacking angrily behind her.

I glanced over at Percy. "What's _her_ problem?"

Percy stared at me wearily, then turned to follow her. "Nothing."

"Liar." I reached forward and caught his wrist. "What's up? Y'all have been acting this way ever since I started hanging out with Steven."

He turned to face me, and I pulled back in shock at the look of terrible and unbreakable pain that glistened in his sea-green eyes. He turned to face me, and, blinking back tears, he stepped forward and pulled me into his warm embrace. I felt his breath against my ear as he whispered, "Do you love Steven?"

"What?" I pulled back. "NO!"

He smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Sounds like it's _your_ turn to be the liar. I can see it in your eyes when you look at him. You like Steven Shay. A lot."

I shook my head frantically. "But... what about the past few weeks? It seemed to me like you and I..." I trailed off. Percy had to of been an idiot if he didn't notice the connection we had in tose first few weeks of school. How could he think I liked someone else?

Percy sighed. "I don't want to guilt you into liking me... The only thing that would be worse than seeing you happy with someone else... is seeing you miserable with me..."

He bent forward and pressed his lips to my cheek. His breath was hot and labored and his hair smelled like the Sea Cave. "I love you, Annabeth," he whispered against my skin. "But obviously, that's not good enough. Just do me a favor and call me when you've figured out what your heart is trying to tell you." His voice was thick and soft, like he was trying his hardest not to cry. I struggled with the same urge.

Percy stepped back and turned away to leave. "Percy, _wait_!" I cried. But he just broke into a run, like he was afraid that if he stayed for too much longer he would break down crying.

I let free my saltwater tears and began to sob, my heart wrenching in two. He was leaving me... He was leaving me to choose... But I didn't want Steven... Did I?

I needed him. I didn't want him to go. I wanted him to take me in his arms and hold me against his chest until my tears dried. I wanted him to race back here. _He loved me... He loved me..._

I screamed his name.

"PERCY!"

One...

Two...

Three...

Four...

Five...

...He didn't come back...

**I'm so sorry Percy and Annabeth! But I had to do it! Don't worry! I hate breaking you like that, so this won't last long... probably...**

**Review! Por favor!**

**Thanks!**

**AtlantaJackson95**


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	18. The Sea Cave

**Hey guys!**

**So, let me ask you: which one displays the drama of lapsed time better?**

**One: "Eight months later…**

**Two: Seven chapters with months on them.**

**Sorry if you didn't like the setup, but I'd been planning to do that from the beginning.**

**Now, who wants to check and see what has and hasn't happened over the past several months, eh? Let's see what our favorite mortalized demigods are up to!**

**P.S. First: scroll up to the top left corner of the window. Do you see where it says "AtlantaJackson95"? That doesn't sound anything like Rick Riordan, does it? Are you good? OKAY!**

The Sea Cave:

**Percy**

June

I sat against the cold rock wall watching the steadily rising dawn light up her face. It had been nine months since I ran away and left her to choose. She still hadn't made a decision. To be honest, I was glad for that. I was cutting her out of my life. There was an even _higher_ chance that she would pick Steven now...

Nine months ago, on that first night, I came to the Sea Cave, only to find her asleep and shivering by the mouth. She had clearly been waiting for me. Careful not to wake her up, I had lifted her up bridal style and carried her over to a small corner that the wind couldn't reach.

Having spent many nights in that cave, I had recently brought a small plastic bin filled with blankets and a pillow, and was able to lay them over her. On impulse, just before she woke up, I raced back to my house, grabbed a blue tulip from my mom's stash in the pantry, and raced back, leaving it and a note next to her. Every night since, I've left a fresh tulip and a new note with the same message. Then, I'd leave before she could wake up.

Now, I watched as the morning sun turned her blonde curls to spun gold. She looked so peaceful when she slept, with soft, quiet snores echoing in time with the gentle rise and fall of her chest.

After several minutes, I set down the flower by her head, leaning over her sleeping form. I brushed her hair out of her face, and bent down to kiss her temple. She stirred slightly at the touch of my lips, but she quickly settled down, and I left the cave, glancing back at her silhouetted figure before slipping into the cool darkness of the  
>black water.<p>

**Sorry it's so short, but I figured that Percy needed a chance to explain his side of the past few months as well. And I think that what happens next is best expressed in Annabeth's point-of-view. But don't worry! I already finished the next chapter before I posted this one! So just scroll down to the bottom right corner of the page and click that pretty little button labeled NEXT!**

**One more thing: Before you do, at the very bottom of the page, there's an underlined phrase that means: "REVIEW." Underlined words are important, remember? And my mommy always says to pay attention to things that are important! ;P**


	19. The Truth

**Counting this chapter: three more left! I'm almost done!**

**I'm not Rick Riordan. Satisfied? (However, if he mysteriously signs all rights over to a random girl from the west coast, and claims he was forced: He's a liar. Don't listen to him.)**

The Truth:

**Annabeth**

It was the last day of school. All year, Percy had been carefully avoiding me. Every time I passed him, I found him talking to that artsy cheerleader RACHEL of all people, (Well, at least she's nice) and I had to bite my lower lip to keep from crying when I saw his sea green eyes pass over me, purposely avoiding my gaze. It was just as well. I would never be able to stand that painful look he'd give me.

I drowned myself in my sorrows by hanging out with Steven. It had gotten so bad, that I had lost count of how many times people had asked Steven and I if we were dating. I would see Steven's eyes light up, but the light would quickly die when my answer was always, "No."

Each night, I would drive all the way down to the beach, then sit for hours in the Sea Cave, waiting for Percy. Each time, I would fall asleep, where Percy's last words to me would replay in my head like a broken cassette tape:

_I love you… I love you… But it's obviously not good enough… Not good enough…_

I would always wake up the next morning in a more sheltered spot from the cold than I fell asleep in, a pillow and warm blanket shielding me from the chilly cave air. Next to me would be a small blue tulip, with a note that said:

_I still love you, and I'll wait for you forever. –Percy_

I finished my last Final and scrambled outside like everyone else. Immediately, Steven caught up to me in the parking lot. I bit back a sigh.

"Hey, Annabeth!" Steven grinned widely at me, and I gave him a plastered smile in return. Luckily, he didn't know me well enough to tell. Only Percy could do that.

"Hi, Steven. What did you need?"

He shifted uncomfortably. "I was, um, wondering if you wanted to catch a movie or something tonight..." He seemed really nervous. He wasn't asking me out, was he?

I gave him a sheepish smile and shook my head. "How many times do I have to remind you that I'm _busy _every night?"

His eyes flashed. "You mean waiting for a guy who's never going to show?"

I felt like he'd just run me over with a truck. "He comes _every_ night, Steven. He just leaves before I can wake up..."

"He'll get tired of it eventually. News flash for you: _No_ girl is worth eight months of waiting."

Now, I felt like he'd just set the truck into reverse and run back over me to get me extra-pancake-size. "Isn't that what _you're_ doing?" I whispered.

His eyes widened with realization of what he'd just said and he opened his mouth to take it back. But it was too late. He'd already said it.

And I was already gone.

On the way home, I realized what a complete idiot I'd been.

Steven liked me a lot. But I had only hung out with him because he knew how to complement me. I'd never been the kind of person to get much attention before, and I drank in Steven's.

But I had to forgive him too often. He slipped up a lot. Percy never slipped up. He said the right thing without even trying.

Even though I had been a horrible friend to him by blowing him off for Steven, Percy never left me. Instead of trying to win me over, he gave me space to contemplate my feelings, saying that he'd rather see me happy with Steven than miserable with him. While Steven said that he wouldn't wait too long, Percy had left me hundreds of blue tulips, all of them saying that he'd wait for me forever.

Eight months of contemplation and the truth was hitting me smack  
>in the face.<p>

I didn't love Steven. I loved the attention that he gave me.]

But I _definitely _loved Percy.

**EEEEEEK!**

**So are you ready for the last two chapters? I've got the next one done, too! So just click that NEXT button and stare at the page until your eyes bleed!**

**We're almost there!**

**HOLD ON PERCABETH FANATICS!**


	20. About Time

**Hey guys!**

**Well, here we go! The second-to-last chapter! Almost done!**

**P.S. I'm just going to say it: I'm not Rick Riordan. Happy?**

About Time…:

**Annabeth**

_Nine months…_

I hadn't seen Percy face-to-face for _nine months_. I wasn't going to lie. I missed him a lot. I had sat up most of the night for a month, trying to find a way to contact him. But there was no surefire way to make sure that he would talk to me.

So I decided to make a gamble.

I prayed that he wanted to speak to me as much as I did him.

I sat watching the stars come out, identifying the constellations that Percy had shown me that first night. The cool ocean breeze left scented droplets in my curly blonde hair. I shivered, but I refused to grab the blanket. I wanted—even if it was while I was unconscious—to feel Percy's warm and strong arms as he carried me to the sheltered side of the cave. I could almost imagine his sea scent washing over me.

After a little while, I set down the flower from the night before, double-checking the message that I'd left on its note, in big black marker, then I laid my head against the hard rock and fell asleep, the words I'd written repeating over and over in my head:

_I love you too._

When I woke up, I was aware of the blanket and pillow, and that I had been moved once again.

But the tulip was gone. I silently cursed myself. If he was trying to break ties with me,  
><em>of course<em> he wouldn't allow me to communicate with him through the flowers. I had just thrown away my last connection with Percy.

I was just about to bury my head in the pillow and burst into tears when I heard a soft, gentle voice behind me.

"Now, don't start crying on me..."

I sat up and spun around to see Percy watching me. He sat against the hard rock wall with his knees pulled to his chest. His arms were draped around his legs, with his left hand loosely clamping his right wrist. In his right hand was the tulip that I had left the night before.

Percy studied me for several moments, his gentle gaze catching mine. I shivered, but not from the cold. His piercing green eyes felt like they were reaching into my soul and laying it bare for everyone to see. Of course, I didn't hate that look. In fact, it was what first made me write my phone number on his palm all those months ago. I loved that look, because it was what led up to all of this.

A couple months ago, Piper told me that I should have been thankful for this separation, because it would be all the sweeter when I finally saw Percy. I didn't believe it. Until now.

He lifted the flower up. "I take it you've made your decision?"

For a moment, I couldn't move. I had been anxious and dreading this moment for ten months, worried about what I would see in his gaze. His expression was unreadable, so I couldn't tell WHAT he was thinking. My heart wrenched, and I broke out of my trance.

I slid forward until I was on my knees next to him, and rested my hands on his chest. I leaned forward until there were inches of distance between us, and whispered, "Am I really worth _nine months_ of waiting?"

He didn't answer at first. But after a few seconds he leaned forward, halving the distance between us, so the tip of his nose touched the tip of mine. His gaze softened so much that I felt like I could sit there forever, and he replied with, "You're worth an _eternity_ of waiting."

I couldn't stop a smile.

**Okay. That's it until I finish that last chapter. Can you hold it together until then? I really hope so, because I don't want anyone tracking me down and trying to bribe me with gummy worms or something…**

**Anything else? Hmm… Oh yeah!**

**REVIEW!**

**Thanks!**

**AtlantaJackson95**


	21. Finally

**I only just realized how good I am at describing romance. It took an entire chapter just to describe this one scene… This is kind of sad.**

**I've finally finished the second to last chapter! All that's left is an epilogue. Because EVERYBODY needs an epilogue. Especially Nobody. ;)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the PJO series. Because if I did, I would have made Percy and Annabeth start dating a LOT sooner than two (count 'em: TWO) pages before the last chapter of the fifth book.**

Finally…

**(A.N. This is a quote that I altered to fit the story from ****The Host****. Read that book! Even if you don't like Twilight, you have to read it! It's SOOOOO much better!)**

_What is it that makes love between individuals so much more desirable than a society built off of public love? Is it because it is exclusive and capricious? In such a society, love and acceptance would be offered to all. Do we crave bigger challenges? Individual love is tricky; it has no hard-and-fast rules—it might be given for free, as with family and relatives, or earned through time and hard work, as with friends or lovers, or completely and heartbreakingly unattainable, as with a one-sided care._

_Or is it simply better somehow? Because we humans can hate with so much fury, is the other end of the spectrum that we can love with more heart and zeal and fire?_

_No one knows why we yearn after it so desperately. All we know is that, once you have it, it is worth every ounce of risk and agony it costs. It is better than one could ever imagine._

_It is everything._

That was exactly what they realized when he reached forward and pulled her face forward, capturing her lips with his own.

They held each other close. So close that they couldn't count as two. They had never been kissed before, but they knew that—even if they were to be kissed a thousand times more throughout their lives—those kisses could never compare to this one.

Because this kiss was perfect.

He didn't try anything. His hands rested on the bare skin of her waist from where her shirt had lifted a few inches. Hers rested on the back of his neck.

The scents of sea breeze and lemon soap wafted around them, mixing into one chaotic scent. Her lips tasted like cherry chap stick, and their combined breath carried the smell of cinnamon and spearmint. It was intoxicating to the both of them.

They forgot where they were… _who_ they were… They forgot everything except that perfect kiss.

After ten months, there was no hunger. No lust. They had _finally_ come together. That was all that mattered to them.

Their lips moved in sync. Their tongues tangled with each other. Both hearts pounded against the other's chest. She sat in his lap; his arms held her tightly. They wanted to stay there forever.

Permanently.

Never had they felt so _alive_. So _free_. They felt as if they were flying. As if they could do _anything_.

Finally, a need to breath pulled her reluctantly away, and he bent his head to press his lips to the crux of her neck.

No words were said. The kiss had displayed more than they could ever say.

She shifted so that she was sitting between his legs, with her back resting against him, her body rising and falling with his breathing. She could feel his heart racing under her shoulder blade. She could feel her own racing as he brushed his mouth up and down her neck, dropping feather-light kisses every few centimeters, leaving a trail of tiny brands of flame wherever he touched. His hands rested flat on her stomach, fingers spread.

After several minutes, they finally, reluctantly, stood up.

And—just as they had on that first day—they left to go swimming.

**Okay… You know what I said about only having the epilogue after this? I lied!**

**There will be One more chapter, THEN an epilogue!**

**YAY! MORE PERCABETH! RAISE THE ROOF! (*facepalm* I can't believe I just said—er, typed that…)**


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